Multi-frequency electromagnetic radiation induces anxiety in mice via inflammation in the cerebral cortex.

Modern life is filled with radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) in various frequency bands, while the health risks are not clear. In this study, mice were whole-body exposed to 0.9/1.5/2.65 GHz radiofrequency radiation at 4 W/kg for 2 h per day for 4 weeks to investigate the emotional effects. It was found that the mice showed anxiety but no severe depression. The ELISA results showed a significant decrease in amino acid neurotransmitters (GABA, DA, 5-HT), although acetylcholine (ACH) levels were not significantly altered. Furthermore, Western blot results showed that BDNF, TrkB, and CREB levels were increased in the cerebral cortex, while NF-κB levels were decreased. In addition, pro-inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-1ß, TNF-α) were significantly elevated, and anti-inflammatory factors (IL-4, IL-10) tended to decrease. In conclusion, multi-frequency electromagnetic radiation induces an inflammatory response through the CREB-BDNF-TrkB and NF-κB pathways in the cerebral cortex and causes a decrease in excitatory neurotransmitters, which ultimately causes anxiety in mice.

Distribution of Nosocomial Pathogens and Antimicrobial Resistance among Patients with Burn Injuries in China: A Comprehensive Research Synopsis and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Over the past decade, numerous studies have described the types of pathogens and their antibiotic resistance patterns in patients with burn injuries in China; however, the findings have generally been inconsistent. We conducted a literature search and meta-analysis to summarize the infection spectra and antimicrobial resistance patterns in patients with burn injuries. METHODS: We searched the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Biomedical Literature, Wanfang, and Weipu databases for relevant articles published between January 2010 and December 2023. The DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model was used to estimate the proportions and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of pathogens among Chinese patients with burn injuries. Meta-regression analyses were performed to explore differences in the proportions of pathogens among different subgroups and their resistance patterns. This study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024514386). RESULTS: The database searches yielded 2017 records; after removing duplicates and conducting initial screening, 219 articles underwent full-text screening. Ultimately, 60 studies comprising a total of 62,819 isolated strains reported the proportions of pathogens in patients with burn injuries and were included in this meta-analysis. Meta-analyses were conducted on 18 types of pathogens. The most common pathogens causing infections in Chinese patients with burn injuries were Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Similar results were observed in the subgroup analysis focusing on wound infections. Since 2015, there has been a significant decrease in the proportion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (R2 = 4.89%) and a significant increase in the proportion of Klebsiella pneumoniae (R2 = 9.60%). In terms of antibiotic resistance, there has been a significant decrease in the resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to multiple antibiotics and an increasing trend in the resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae. CONCLUSIONS: We systematically summarized the epidemiological characteristics and antibiotic resistance patterns of pathogens among individuals suffering from burns in China, thus providing guidance for controlling wound infections and promoting optimal empirical antimicrobial therapy. The observed high levels of antibiotic resistance underscore the need for ongoing monitoring of antibiotic usage trends.

Insights into spinach domestication from genome sequences of two wild spinach progenitors, Spinacia turkestanica and Spinacia tetrandra.

Cultivated spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a dioecious species. We report high-quality genome sequences for its two closest wild relatives, Spinacia turkestanica and Spinacia tetrandra, which are also dioecious, and are used to study the genetics of spinach domestication. Using a combination of genomic approaches, we assembled genomes of both these species and analyzed them in comparison with the previously assembled S. oleracea genome. These species diverged c. 6.3 million years ago (Ma), while cultivated spinach split from S. turkestanica 0.8 Ma. In all three species, all six chromosomes include very large gene-poor, repeat-rich regions, which, in S. oleracea, are pericentromeric regions with very low recombination rates in both male and female genetic maps. We describe population genomic evidence that the similar regions in the wild species also recombine rarely. We characterized 282 structural variants (SVs) that have been selected during domestication. These regions include genes associated with leaf margin type and flowering time. We also describe evidence that the downy mildew resistance loci of cultivated spinach are derived from introgression from both wild spinach species. Collectively, this study reveals the genome architecture of spinach assemblies and highlights the importance of SVs during the domestication of cultivated spinach.

Synergistic effects of graphene microgrooves and electrical stimulation on M2 macrophage polarization.

Macrophages play a crucial role in host response and wound healing, with M2 polarization contributing to the reduction of foreign-body reactions induced by the implantation of biomaterials and promoting tissue regeneration. Electrical stimulation (ES) and micropatterned substrates have a significant impact on the macrophage polarization. However, there is currently a lack of well-established cell culture platforms for studying the synergistic effects of these two factors. In this study, we prepared a graphene free-standing substrate with 20 µm microgrooves using capillary forces induced by water evaporation. Subsequently, we established an ES cell culture platform for macrophage cultivation by integrating a self-designed multi-well chamber cell culture device. We observed that graphene microgrooves, in combination with ES, significantly reduce cell spreading area and circularity. Results from immunofluorescence, ELISA, and flow cytometry demonstrate that the synergistic effect of graphene microgrooves and ES effectively promotes macrophage M2 phenotypic polarization. Finally, RNA sequencing results reveal that the synergistic effects of ES and graphene microgrooves inhibit the macrophage actin polymerization and the downstream PI3K signaling pathway, thereby influencing the phenotypic transition. Our results demonstrate the potential of graphene-based microgrooves and ES to synergistically modulate macrophage polarization, offering promising applications in regenerative medicine.

Effects of Vaccination against Recombinant FSH or LH Receptor Subunits on Gonadal Development and Functioning Male Rats.

Luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) play key roles in regulating testosterone secretion and spermatogenesis in male mammals, respectively, and they maintain the fertility of male animals by binding to their corresponding receptors. We designed and prepared a recombinant LH receptor (LHR) subunit vaccine and a recombinant FSH receptor (FSHR) subunit vaccine and used male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats as a model to examine their effects on testicular development, spermatogenesis, and testosterone secretion in prepubertal and pubertal mammals. Both vaccines (LHR-DTT and FSHR-DTT) significantly decreased the serum testosterone level in prepubertal rats (p < 0.05) but had no effect on the testosterone secretion in pubertal rats; both vaccines decreased the number of cell layers in the seminiferous tubules and reduced spermatogenesis in prepubertal and pubertal rats. Subunit vaccine FSHR-DTT decreased the sperm density in the epididymis in both prepubertal and pubertal rats (p < 0.01) and lowered testicular index and sperm motility in pubertal rats (p < 0.05), whereas LHR-DTT only reduced the sperm density in the epididymis in pubertal rats (p < 0.05). These results indicate that the FSHR subunit vaccine may be a promising approach for immunocastration, but it still needs improvements in effectiveness.

The requirement of the mitochondrial protein NDUFS8 for angiogenesis.

Mitochondria are important for the activation of endothelial cells and the process of angiogenesis. NDUFS8 (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase core subunit S8) is a protein that plays a critical role in the function of mitochondrial Complex I. We aimed to investigate the potential involvement of NDUFS8 in angiogenesis. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and other endothelial cell types, we employed viral shRNA to silence NDUFS8 or employed the CRISPR/Cas9 method to knockout (KO) it, resulting in impaired mitochondrial functions in the endothelial cells, causing reduction in mitochondrial oxygen consumption and Complex I activity, decreased ATP production, mitochondrial depolarization, increased oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and enhanced lipid oxidation. Significantly, NDUFS8 silencing or KO hindered cell proliferation, migration, and capillary tube formation in cultured endothelial cells. In addition, there was a moderate increase in apoptosis within NDUFS8-depleted endothelial cells. Conversely, ectopic overexpression of NDUFS8 demonstrated a pro-angiogenic impact, enhancing cell proliferation, migration, and capillary tube formation in HUVECs and other endothelial cells. NDUFS8 is pivotal for Akt-mTOR cascade activation in endothelial cells. Depleting NDUFS8 inhibited Akt-mTOR activation, reversible with exogenous ATP in HUVECs. Conversely, NDUFS8 overexpression boosted Akt-mTOR activation. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects of NDUFS8 knockdown on cell proliferation, migration, and capillary tube formation were rescued by Akt re-activation via a constitutively-active Akt1. In vivo experiments using an endothelial-specific NDUFS8 shRNA adeno-associated virus (AAV), administered via intravitreous injection, revealed that endothelial knockdown of NDUFS8 inhibited retinal angiogenesis. ATP reduction, oxidative stress, and enhanced lipid oxidation were detected in mouse retinal tissues with endothelial knockdown of NDUFS8. Lastly, we observed an increase in NDUFS8 expression in retinal proliferative membrane tissues obtained from human patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Our findings underscore the essential role of the mitochondrial protein NDUFS8 in regulating endothelial cell activation and angiogenesis.

Microsurgical clipping of multiple intracranial aneurysms via the keyhole approach.

BACKGROUND: Keyhole surgery has been widely used to clip various intracranial aneurysms. Here, the feasibility of microsurgical clipping of multiple intracranial aneurysms via the keyhole approach was further investigated. METHODS: The clinical data of 80 patients with multiple intracranial aneurysms treated with keyhole surgery were retrospectively analyzed. The patients included 25 males and 55 females, with an average age of 57.5 years. There were 13 patients with unruptured aneurysms, 67 patients with ruptured aneurysms (small aneurysms accounted for 52.2% of ruptured aneurysms), and a total of 198 aneurysms. A 4 cm incision and a bone hole of approximately 2.5 cm were used, per craniotomy standards. Forty-eight cases were treated via the supraorbital keyhole approach, 45 cases via the pterional keyhole approach, and three cases via the interhemispheric keyhole approach. RESULTS: A bilateral and unilateral keyhole approach was applied in 18 and 62 cases, respectively. A total of 170 ipsilateral and 7 contralateral aneurysms were clipped. The complete clipping rate was 98.9%. During the follow-up period of 6-12 months after surgery, the Glasgow outcome scale score was 5 points in 74 cases, 4 points in five cases, and 3 points in one case. The prognosis was associated with the preoperative Hunt-Hess classification but not with the number of operative sides, the operation opportunity, or the number of clipped aneurysms. CONCLUSION: Early keyhole surgical clipping of multiple intracranial aneurysms is an effective treatment. Among ruptured aneurysms, small aneurysms are common and need attention and timely treatment.

Occult Breast Cancer Presenting as Sternum Pain.

Bone metastasis has been reported in up to 70% of patients with advanced breast cancer. A total of 55.76% of skeletal metastases in women were derived from breast cancer. However, patients with bone metastasis from an occult primary breast cancer are a rare subset of patients. Here, we present the case of a 38-year-old woman who had sternum pain for 4 months. A whole-body PET-CT scan revealed that the FDG uptake of both the sternum and internal mammary node was significantly increased. The final diagnosis of occult breast cancer was established by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, which is of great significance for identifying the origin of a metastatic tumor despite no visualized lesions of mammary glands.

Related factors associated with the prognosis of children undergoing liver transplantation under the enhanced recovery after surgery nursing concept.

This study aimed to investigate factors associated with the clinical outcomes of patients who underwent pediatric liver transplantation (LT) and received enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) nursing. A cohort of 104 pediatric patients was studied at our hospital. Data on 8 indicators and 2 clinical outcomes, including length of hospital stay (LOS) and 30-day readmission rates, were collected. Linear and logistic regression analyses were employed to examine the associations of the 8 indicators with hospital-LOS and readmission risks, respectively. The predictive value of these indicators for the outcomes was determined using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, decision curve analysis, and importance ranking through the XGBoost method. A comprehensive model was developed to evaluate its predictive accuracy. Regression analyses identified donor age, donor gender, and intensive care unit (ICU)-LOS of recipients as significant predictors of hospital LOS (all P < .05), whereas no indicators were significantly associated with readmission risk. Further, ROC analysis revealed that 3 indicators provided superior prediction for 28-day hospital LOS compared to the median LOS of 18 days. ICU-LOS demonstrated the highest clinical net benefit for predicting 28-day hospital-LOS. Multivariable regression analysis confirmed the independent predictive value of donor age and ICU-LOS for the hospital-LOS (all ß > 0, all P < .05). Although the comprehensive model incorporating donor age and ICU-LOS showed stable predictive capability for hospital-LOS, its performance did not significantly exceed that of the individual indicators. In pediatric LT, hospital LOS warrants greater emphasis over readmission rates. Donor age and ICU-LOS emerged as independent risk factors associated with prolonged hospital LOS.

2H-Thiopyran-2-thione sulfine, a compound for converting H2S to HSOH/H2S2 and increasing intracellular sulfane sulfur levels.

Reactive sulfane sulfur species such as persulfides (RSSH) and H2S2 are important redox regulators and closely linked to H2S signaling. However, the study of these species is still challenging due to their instability, high reactivity, and the lack of suitable donors to produce them. Herein we report a unique compound, 2H-thiopyran-2-thione sulfine (TTS), which can specifically convert H2S to HSOH, and then to H2S2 in the presence of excess H2S. Meanwhile, the reaction product 2H-thiopyran-2-thione (TT) can be oxidized to reform TTS by biological oxidants. The reaction mechanism of TTS is studied experimentally and computationally. TTS can be conjugated to proteins to achieve specific delivery, and the combination of TTS and H2S leads to highly efficient protein persulfidation. When TTS is applied in conjunction with established H2S donors, the corresponding donors of H2S2 (or its equivalents) are obtained. Cell-based studies reveal that TTS can effectively increase intracellular sulfane sulfur levels and compensate for certain aspects of sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase (SQR) deficiency. These properties make TTS a conceptually new strategy for the design of donors of reactive sulfane sulfur species.

Fut2 Deficiency Promotes Intestinal Stem Cell Aging by Damaging Mitochondrial Functions via Down-Regulating α1,2-Fucosylation of Asah2 and Npc1.

Fut2-mediated α1,2-fucosylation is important for gut homeostasis, including the intestinal stem cell (ISC). The stemness of ISC declines with age, and aging-associated ISC dysfunction is closely related to many age-related intestinal diseases. We previously found intestinal epithelial dysfunction in some aged Fut2 knockout mice. However, how Fut2-mediated α1,2-fucosylation affects ISC aging is still unknown. On this basis, the herein study aims to investigate the role of Fut2-mediated α1,2-fucosylation in ISC aging. Aging models in ISC-specific Fut2 knockout mice were established. ISCs were isolated for proteomics and N-glycoproteomics analysis. ISC functions and mitochondrial functions were examined in mice and organoids. Ulex europaeus agglutinin I chromatography and site-directed mutagenesis were used to validate the key target fucosylated proteins of Fut2. As a result, Fut2 knockout impaired ISC stemness and promoted aging marker expression in aged mice. Proteomics analysis indicated mitochondrial dysfunction in Fut2 knockout ISC. More injured mitochondria, elevated levels of reactive oxygen species, and decreased levels of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) in Fut2 knockout ISC were found. Moreover, respiratory chain complex impairment and mitophagy dysfunction in Fut2 knockout ISC were further noted. Finally, Fut2 was demonstrated to regulate mitochondrial functions mainly by regulating the α1,2-fucosylation of N-acyl sphingosine amidohydrolase 2 (Asah2) and Niemann-Pick type C intracellular cholesterol transporter 1 (Npc1). In conclusion, this study demonstrated the substantial role of Fut2 in regulating ISC functions during aging by affecting mitochondrial function. These findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of ISC aging and therapeutic strategies for age-related intestinal diseases.

Partially knocking out NtPDK1a/1b/1c/1d simultaneously in Nicotiana tabacum using CRISPR/CAS9 technology results in auxin-related developmental defects.

The eukaryotic AGC protein kinase subfamily (protein kinase A/ protein kinase G/ protein kinase C-family) is involved in regulating numerous biological processes across kingdoms, including growth and development, and apoptosis. PDK1(3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1) is a conserved serine/threonine kinase in eukaryotes, which is both a member of AGC kinase and a major regulator of many other downstream AGC protein kinase family members. Although extensively investigated in model plant Arabidopsis, detailed reports for tobacco PDK1s have been limited. To better understand the functions of PDK1s in tobacco, CRISPR/CAS9 transgenic lines were generated in tetraploid N. tabacum, cv. Samsun (NN) with 5-7 of the 8 copies of 4 homologous PDK1 genes in tobacco genome (NtPDK1a/1b/1c/1d homologs) simultaneously knocked out. Numerous developmental defects were observed in these NtPDK1a/1b/1c/1d CRISPR/CAS9 lines, including cotyledon fusion leaf shrinkage, uneven distribution of leaf veins, convex veins, root growth retardation, and reduced fertility, all of which reminiscence of impaired polar auxin transport. The severity of these defects was correlated with the number of knocked out alleles of NtPDK1a/1b/1c/1d. Consistent with the observation in Arabidopsis, it was found that the polar auxin transport, and not auxin biosynthesis, was significantly compromised in these knockout lines compared with the wild type tobacco plants. The fact that no homozygous plant with all 8 NtPDK1a/1b/1c/1d alleles being knocked out suggested that knocking out 8 alleles of NtPDK1a/1b/1c/1d could be lethal. In conclusion, our results indicated that NtPDK1s are versatile AGC kinases that participate in regulation of tobacco growth and development via modulating polar auxin transport. Our results also indicated that CRISPR/CAS9 technology is a powerful tool in resolving gene redundancy in polyploidy plants.

hOGG1: A novel mediator in nitrosamine-induced esophageal tumorigenesis.

BACKGROUND: The effect of human 8-Oxoguanine DNA Glycosylase (hOGG1) on exogenous chemicals in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain unclear. The study plans to determine hOGG1 expression levels in ESCC and possible interactions with known environmental risk factors in ESCC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed levels of exposure to urinary nitrosamines in volunteers from high and low prevalence areas by GC-MS. And we performed the interaction between hOGG1 gene and nitrosamine disinfection by-products by analyzing hOGG1 gene expression in esophageal tissues. RESULTS: In ESCC, nitrosamine levels were significantly increased and hOGG1 mRNA expression levels were significantly decreased. There was a statistically significant interaction between reduced hOGG1 mRNA levels and non-tap drinking water sources in ESCC. The apparent indirect association between ESCC and NMEA indicated that 33.4% of the association between ESCC and NMEA was mediated by hOGG1. CONCLUSION: In populations which exposed to high levels of environmental pollutants NDMA, low expression of hOGG1 may promote the high incidence of esophageal cancer in Huai'an. hOGG1 may be a novel mediator in nitrosamine-induced esophageal tumorigenesis.

T-HyperGNNs: Hypergraph Neural Networks via Tensor Representations.

Hypergraph neural networks (HyperGNNs) are a family of deep neural networks designed to perform inference on hypergraphs. HyperGNNs follow either a spectral or a spatial approach, in which a convolution or message-passing operation is conducted based on a hypergraph algebraic descriptor. While many HyperGNNs have been proposed and achieved state-of-the-art performance on broad applications, there have been limited attempts at exploring high-dimensional hypergraph descriptors (tensors) and joint node interactions carried by hyperedges. In this article, we depart from hypergraph matrix representations and present a new tensor-HyperGNN (T-HyperGNN) framework with cross-node interactions (CNIs). The T-HyperGNN framework consists of T-spectral convolution, T-spatial convolution, and T-message-passing HyperGNNs (T-MPHN). The T-spectral convolution HyperGNN is defined under the t-product algebra that closely connects to the spectral space. To improve computational efficiency for large hypergraphs, we localize the T-spectral convolution approach to formulate the T-spatial convolution and further devise a novel tensor-message-passing algorithm for practical implementation by studying a compressed adjacency tensor representation. Compared to the state-of-the-art approaches, our T-HyperGNNs preserve intrinsic high-order network structures without any hypergraph reduction and model the joint effects of nodes through a CNI layer. These advantages of our T-HyperGNNs are demonstrated in a wide range of real-world hypergraph datasets. The implementation code is available at https://github.com/wangfuli/T-HyperGNNs.git.

Benign and malignant classification of breast tumor ultrasound images using conventional radiomics and transfer learning features: A multicenter retrospective study.

This study aims to establish an effective benign and malignant classification model for breast tumor ultrasound images by using conventional radiomics and transfer learning features. We collaborated with a local hospital and collected a base dataset (Dataset A) consisting of 1050 cases of single lesion 2D ultrasound images from patients, with a total of 593 benign and 357 malignant tumor cases. The experimental approach comprises three main parts: conventional radiomics, transfer learning, and feature fusion. Furthermore, we assessed the model's generalizability by utilizing multicenter data obtained from Datasets B and C. The results from conventional radiomics indicated that the SVM classifier achieved the highest balanced accuracy of 0.791, while XGBoost obtained the highest AUC of 0.854. For transfer learning, we extracted deep features from ResNet50, Inception-v3, DenseNet121, MNASNet, and MobileNet. Among these models, MNASNet, with 640-dimensional deep features, yielded the optimal performance, with a balanced accuracy of 0.866, AUC of 0.937, sensitivity of 0.819, and specificity of 0.913. In the feature fusion phase, we trained SVM, ExtraTrees, XGBoost, and LightGBM with early fusion features and evaluated them with weighted voting. This approach achieved the highest balanced accuracy of 0.964 and AUC of 0.981. Combining conventional radiomics and transfer learning features demonstrated clear advantages over using individual features for breast tumor ultrasound image classification. This automated diagnostic model can ease patient burden and provide additional diagnostic support to radiologists. The performance of this model encourages future prospective research in this domain.

Dual-Circularly Polarized and Flexible Metasurface Antenna Based on Graphene Assembled Film for Satellite Communications.

Traditional metal materials used in electronic devices are often problematic due to issues like bending resistance, oxidation leading to failure, and environmental pollution. To address these challenges, microwave electronic devices are constantly casting around for metal substitute materials with additional characteristics such as flexibility, anticorrosive, and eco-friendly. However, finding suitable materials that are accessible for radiofrequency (RF) applications is a difficult yet promising task. Consequently, a high-performance metasurface antenna based on highly conductive graphene films for satellite communications is developed in this paper. The proposed graphene assembled films (GAFs) have a conductivity of up to 1.13 × 106 S/m. Simulation and measurement results confirm the excellent performance of the designed antenna. Comparative experiments are also conducted on salt spray and mechanical bending between GAF antenna patterns and copper foil counterparts, further demonstrating the outstanding flexible property and corrosion resistance performance of prepared GAFs.

A flavonoid metabolon: cytochrome b5 enhances B-ring trihydroxylated flavan-3-ols synthesis in tea plants.

Flavan-3-ols are prominent phenolic compounds found abundantly in the young leaves of tea plants. The enzymes involved in flavan-3-ol biosynthesis in tea plants have been extensively investigated. However, the localization and associations of these numerous functional enzymes within cells have been largely neglected. In this study, we aimed to investigate the synthesis of flavan-3-ols in tea plants, particularly focusing on epigallocatechin gallate. Our analysis involving the DESI-MSI method to reveal a distinct distribution pattern of B-ring trihydroxylated flavonoids, primarily concentrated in the outer layer of buds. Subcellular localization showed that CsC4H, CsF3'H, and CsF3'5'H localizes endoplasmic reticulum. Protein-protein interaction studies demonstrated direct associations between CsC4H, CsF3'H, and cytoplasmic enzymes (CHS, CHI, F3H, DFR, FLS, and ANR), highlighting their interactions within the biosynthetic pathway. Notably, CsF3'5'H, the enzyme for B-ring trihydroxylation, did not directly interact with other enzymes. We identified cytochrome b5 isoform C serving as an essential redox partner, ensuring the proper functioning of CsF3'5'H. Our findings suggest the existence of distinct modules governing the synthesis of different B-ring hydroxylation compounds. This study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying flavonoid diversity and efficient synthesis and enhances our understanding of the substantial accumulation of B-ring trihydroxylated flavan-3-ols in tea plants.

A Comprehensive Study on Sudden Deafness for Analyzing Their Clinical Characteristics and Prognostic Factors.

Background: To study the factors associated with the prognosis of patients with sudden deafness to facilitate clinical treatment and improve efficacy. Methods: A total of 414 patients with sudden deafness treated in Zhenjiang First People's Hospital from January 2020 to December 2022 were chosen. Relevant data were gathered and the effectiveness of treatment was assessed by comparing hearing test results before and after hospital admission and divided into effective and ineffective groups, and the effectiveness of each factor was analyzed using univariate analysis, Spearman's correlation analysis, and multifactor logistic regression. Results: The 2 groups had significant differences in age, presence of tinnitus, degree of hearing loss, and triglyceride levels. Spearman's rank correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between hearing threshold of at least 81 dB at 250 to 8000 Hz, the low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglyceride levels, and the prognosis (r < 0, P < .001). A positive correlation exists between high-density lipoprotein levels and prognosis (r > 0, P < .001). Receiver operating characteristic curve showed LDL level, age, and time since disease onset appears to be highly predictive. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that age >47 years, LDL >2.93 mmol/L, and time to presentation >10 days after disease onset are at higher risk for poor prognosis. Conclusion: Factors that influence the prognosis of patients with sudden deafness include age, tinnitus symptoms, high LDL levels, and the type of hearing curve. Early intervention and targeted treatment should be given to high-risk patients to improve the outcome of sudden deafness in clinical practice.

p53/E2F7 axis promotes temozolomide chemoresistance in glioblastoma multiforme.

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive form of brain cancer, and chemoresistance poses a significant challenge to the survival and prognosis of GBM. Although numerous regulatory mechanisms that contribute to chemoresistance have been identified, many questions remain unanswered. This study aims to identify the mechanism of temozolomide (TMZ) resistance in GBM. METHODS: Bioinformatics and antibody-based protein detection were used to examine the expression of E2F7 in gliomas and its correlation with prognosis. Additionally, IC50, cell viability, colony formation, apoptosis, doxorubicin (Dox) uptake, and intracranial transplantation were used to confirm the role of E2F7 in TMZ resistance, using our established TMZ-resistance (TMZ-R) model. Western blot and ChIP experiments provided confirmation of p53-driven regulation of E2F7. RESULTS: Elevated levels of E2F7 were detected in GBM tissue and were correlated with a poor prognosis for patients. E2F7 was found to be upregulated in TMZ-R tumors, and its high levels were linked to increased chemotherapy resistance by limiting drug uptake and decreasing DNA damage. The expression of E2F7 was also found to be regulated by the activation of p53. CONCLUSIONS: The high expression of E2F7, regulated by activated p53, confers chemoresistance to GBM cells by inhibiting drug uptake and DNA damage. These findings highlight the significant connection between sustained p53 activation and GBM chemoresistance, offering the potential for new strategies to overcome this resistance.